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Details
THE VERY FINE ROYAL GOLD AND ENAMEL SMALL-SWORD OF H.H. PRINCE WILLIAM FREDERICK, 2ND DUKE OF GLOUCESTER AND DUKE OF EDINBURGH (1776-1834), LONDON 18 CARAT GOLD HALLMARKS FOR 1801, MAKER'S MARK OF JOHN RAY AND JAMES MONTAGUE
With slender blade of hollow-triangular section etched and gilt with small designs of scrollwork and martial trophies on a blued panel at the forte, etched with the bladesmith's signature 'I.W.M a Solingen' on a gilt panel at the base, and additionally decorated with scrolls etched on a contrasting burnished ground over a part of the forward half of its length, gold hilt cast and chased in low relief with both oak and laurel foliage variously arranged as garlands, wreaths and festoons, all set within contrasting finely pounced matted slender panels between delicate fluted and milled segmental borders, supporting trophies-of-arms on the quillon-block, the knuckle-guard and about the inner-face of the oval shell, framing two pairs of finely painted polychrome enamel plaques on both the pommel and the grip, the former pair decorated with differing trophies-of-war, the latter pair comprising the quartered arms of H.H. Prince William Frederick beneath a coronet for Younger Sons of the Blood Royal, and the monogram WF beneath the crest of a Royal Duke, in its original wooden scabbard covered in blackened shagreen, with gold locket signed 'Goldney's, St James's Street, London', and with middle-band, the two mounts each with gold ring for suspension, complete with an early officer's sword-knot of crimson and silver thread with bullion fringe, and retaining its printed ivory collection label (the scabbard chape replaced).
33 7/8 in. (86 cm.) blade
With slender blade of hollow-triangular section etched and gilt with small designs of scrollwork and martial trophies on a blued panel at the forte, etched with the bladesmith's signature 'I.W.M a Solingen' on a gilt panel at the base, and additionally decorated with scrolls etched on a contrasting burnished ground over a part of the forward half of its length, gold hilt cast and chased in low relief with both oak and laurel foliage variously arranged as garlands, wreaths and festoons, all set within contrasting finely pounced matted slender panels between delicate fluted and milled segmental borders, supporting trophies-of-arms on the quillon-block, the knuckle-guard and about the inner-face of the oval shell, framing two pairs of finely painted polychrome enamel plaques on both the pommel and the grip, the former pair decorated with differing trophies-of-war, the latter pair comprising the quartered arms of H.H. Prince William Frederick beneath a coronet for Younger Sons of the Blood Royal, and the monogram WF beneath the crest of a Royal Duke, in its original wooden scabbard covered in blackened shagreen, with gold locket signed 'Goldney's, St James's Street, London', and with middle-band, the two mounts each with gold ring for suspension, complete with an early officer's sword-knot of crimson and silver thread with bullion fringe, and retaining its printed ivory collection label (the scabbard chape replaced).
33 7/8 in. (86 cm.) blade
Provenance
H.H. Prince William Frederick succeeded to the Duchy of Gloucester on 25 August 1805 and the sword was presumably commissioned with the appropriate enamel plaques at about this time, perhaps for the investiture itself.
Thence to Lord William Seymour, godson to the Duchess of Gloucester. The collection label reads: 'This Sword made in 1805 belonged to William Frederick 2nd Duke of Gloucester, and was left by the Duchess of Gloucester to her Godson, Lord William Seymour'.
Prince Henry was given the Dukedom of Gloucester by his father, King George V, in 1928. In doing so the King used a title that was first created in 1385 for Thomas Woodstock, son of Edward III. Prince Henry was the first Duke of Gloucester since the death of H.H. William Frederick, 2nd Duke of Gloucester, nearly two hundered years earlier.
Thence to Lord William Seymour, godson to the Duchess of Gloucester. The collection label reads: 'This Sword made in 1805 belonged to William Frederick 2
Prince Henry was given the Dukedom of Gloucester by his father, King George V, in 1928. In doing so the King used a title that was first created in 1385 for Thomas Woodstock, son of Edward III. Prince Henry was the first Duke of Gloucester since the death of H.H. William Frederick, 2nd Duke of Gloucester, nearly two hundered years earlier.
Literature
Victoria and Albert Museum
Brochure 1, Claude Blair, Three Presentation Swords, London, 1972, Catalogue No. 31.
The Journal of the Arms & Armour Society, Volume XV, No. 6, September 1997, Leslie Southwick, New Facts about James Morisset and a Revised List of his Known Works, with Others by his Successors John Ray and James Montague, No. 49.
The present sword was unavailable for inspection by either author, each being reliant on information supplied. Hence both the erroneous date of manufacture given as 1805-6 and the misattribution to the ownership of the Duke of Cambridge.
John Ray and James Montague registered their joint mark at Goldsmiths' Hall on 4 May 1800 and were described as 'Goldworkers of Denmark Street, Soho'. The last known product of their partnership is dated 1816 and the partnership was dissolved in June 1821.
Brochure 1, Claude Blair, Three Presentation Swords, London, 1972, Catalogue No. 31.
The Journal of the Arms & Armour Society, Volume XV, No. 6, September 1997, Leslie Southwick, New Facts about James Morisset and a Revised List of his Known Works, with Others by his Successors John Ray and James Montague, No. 49.
The present sword was unavailable for inspection by either author, each being reliant on information supplied. Hence both the erroneous date of manufacture given as 1805-6 and the misattribution to the ownership of the Duke of Cambridge.
John Ray and James Montague registered their joint mark at Goldsmiths' Hall on 4 May 1800 and were described as 'Goldworkers of Denmark Street, Soho'. The last known product of their partnership is dated 1816 and the partnership was dissolved in June 1821.
Exhibited
The Antique Dealers Fair, London, 1969.
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.